Patent Foramen ovale

Description

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a hole in the heart that does not close the way it should after birth. The hole is a small flaplike opening between the upper chambers of the heart. The upper chambers of the heart are called atria.

As a baby grows in the womb, an opening called the foramen ovale (foh-RAY-mun oh-VAY-lee) is located between the upper chambers of the heart. Normally closes during infancy. When the foramen ovale doesn't close, what is called a patent foramen ovale.

Most of the people do not need treatment for patent foramen ovale.

Symptoms

Patent Foramen ovale occurs in about 1 out of every 4 people. Most people with the condition never know they have it. A patent foramen ovale is often discovered during tests for other health problems.

Causes

It is not clear why the foramen ovale that remains open in some people. Genetics may play a role.

How the heart works

To understand more about patent foramen ovale, can be useful to know how the heart works normally.

The typical heart has four chambers that pump blood:

  • The right upper chamber, also called the right atrium. This chamber of the heart receives oxygen-poor blood from the body. Pumps blood to the right lower chamber of the heart through the tricuspid valve.
  • The right lower chamber, also called the right ventricle. This chamber of the heart pumps blood to the lungs through a large vessel called the pulmonary artery. In the lungs, the blood picks up oxygen. The blood moves through the pulmonary valve. The valve closes when the camera is relaxing between beats.
  • The top left of the camera, also called the left atrium. This chamber of the heart receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs. It sends blood through the pulmonary veins and the mitral valve and into the left lower chamber.
  • The left lower chamber, also called the left ventricle. This camera is the heart's main pumping chamber. Which pumps the oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body through the body's largest blood vessel called the aorta. The blood passes through the aortic valve, which is also closed when the chamber is relaxed.

The heart before birth

Because a baby in the womb is not breathing, the lungs are not working yet. That means that there is no need to pump blood to the lungs. In this stage, the blood goes around the baby's lungs. Used by the placenta and the umbilical cord to move oxygen-rich blood from the mother to the baby's body.

In the body of the baby, blood vessel connecting the umbilical cord. Oxygen-rich blood that reaches the heart through the vein that drains blood from the body to the upper right part of the heart of the camera. This vein called the inferior vena cava. The blood then passes through the foramen ovale and into the left upper chamber of the heart. Finally, the blood enters into the left lower chamber of the heart, which pumps it through the body.

Newborn baby's heart

When a baby's lungs begin to work, the flow of blood through the heart of the changes. Now oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and enters the left upper chamber of the heart.

The pressure of the blood pumping through the heart, in general, the forces of the flap opening of the foramen ovale to close. In most people, the opening is closed at some point during childhood.

Complications

A patent foramen ovale, also called a patent foramen ovale (PFO) usually does not cause complications. Some people with this condition may have other congenital heart defects

The possible complications of patent foramen ovale may include:

  • Low oxygen in the blood. Rarely, a patent foramen ovale can cause a significant amount of blood to go around the lungs. This reduces the levels of oxygen in the blood, a condition known as hypoxemia.
  • Stroke. Sometimes small blood clots in the veins can travel to the heart. They can go through a patent foramen ovale and into the left side of the heart. From there, you can travel to the brain and block blood flow, causing an ischemic stroke.

Some studies have found that the patent foramen oval (PFOs) are more common in people with unexplained stroke, and migraine with aura. But more research is needed. Usually, there are other reasons for these conditions. It is often just a coincidence, a person can also have a PFO .

Patent Foramen ovale

Diagnosis

Usually a patent foramen ovale was diagnosed when tests are done for another health problem. If your doctor thinks you may have a patent foramen ovale (PFO), imaging tests of the heart, it can be done.

If you have a patent foramen ovale and he had a stroke, your healthcare provider may refer you to a doctor trained in brain and nervous system conditions. This type of provider, it is called a neurologist.

Tests

A test called an echocardiogram is used to diagnose this condition . The test uses sound waves to create images of the beating heart. An echocardiogram shows the structure of the heart. It also shows how the blood flows through the heart and the heart valves.

Transthoracic echocardiogram

This is a standard echocardiogram. Take pictures of the heart from the outside of the body. The health care provider presses the ultrasound device, called a transducer firmly against the skin over the area of the heart. The device records the sound wave echoes of the heart. A computer changes the echoes in moving images.

Variations of this procedure can be used to identify a patent foramen ovale, including:

  • Color-Doppler.When the sound waves bounce off the blood cells moving through the heart, the change of tone. These changes are called Doppler signals. They appear in different colors in the echocardiogram. This test can show the speed and direction of blood flow in the heart. If you have a patent foramen ovale, this type of echocardiogram usually shows blood moving between the upper chambers of the heart.
  • Saline contrast study, also called a bubble study.During an echocardiogram standard, sterile, saline solution that contains small bubbles were administered INTRAVENOUSLY. The bubbles travel to the right side of the heart. They can be seen on an echocardiogram. If there is a hole between the upper chambers of the heart, the bubbles are filtered out in the lungs. If you have a patent foramen ovale, some bubbles will be displayed in the left side of the heart.

Color-Doppler. When the sound waves bounce off the blood cells moving through the heart, the change of tone. These changes are called Doppler signals. They appear in different colors in the echocardiogram. This test can show the speed and direction of blood flow in the heart.

If you have a patent foramen ovale, this type of echocardiogram usually shows blood moving between the upper chambers of the heart.

Saline contrast study, also called a bubble study. During an echocardiogram standard, sterile, saline solution that contains small bubbles were administered INTRAVENOUSLY. The bubbles travel to the right side of the heart. They can be seen on an echocardiogram.

If there is a hole between the upper chambers of the heart, the bubbles are filtered out in the lungs. If you have a patent foramen ovale, some bubbles will be displayed in the left side of the heart.

Transesophageal echocardiogram

A patent foramen ovale may be difficult to confirm in a standard echocardiogram. Your healthcare provider may recommend this test to get a closer look at the heart.

A transesophageal echocardiogram that takes pictures of your heart from the inside of the body. It is considered the most accurate way to diagnose a patent foramen ovale.

During this test, a flexible tube that contains the ultrasound device is guided through the throat and into the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. This tube is called the esophagus.

Treatment

Most of the people with a patent foramen ovale does not need treatment. If a HOLE is found when an echocardiogram is done for other reasons, a procedure to close the hole is usually not done.

When the treatment for this condition is necessary, may include:

  • Medications
  • A catheter procedure to close the hole
  • The surgery to close the hole

Drugs

Your doctor may recommend medications to try to reduce the risk of blood clots crossing a patent foramen ovale. Blood thinners may be useful for some people with a patent foramen ovale who have had a stroke.

Surgery or other procedures

If you have a PFO and low levels of oxygen in the blood or an unexplained stroke, you may need a procedure to close the hole.

The closure of a patent foramen ovale to prevent migraines is not currently recommended as the first treatment. The closure of a patent foramen ovale to prevent recurrent stroke is performed only after the care providers trained in the heart, and disorders of the nervous system have said that the procedure will help you.

Procedures for closure of a patent foramen ovale, which include:

  • Closure device.In this procedure, the doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in the groin area. The tip of the catheter is a device for connecting thePFO. The provider of the guides of the equipment for the heart to close the opening. Complications of device closure are rare. You can include a tear of the heart or blood vessels, the movement of the device, or an irregular heartbeat.
  • The surgical closure.In this heart surgery, the surgeon will use stitches to close thePFO. This surgery can be performed through a very small incision. It can be done using robotic techniques. If you require heart surgery for another reason, your doctor may recommend this surgery is performed at the same time.

Closure device. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in the groin area. The tip of the catheter is a device for connecting the PFO . The provider of the guides of the equipment for the heart to close the opening.

Complications of device closure are rare. You can include a tear of the heart or blood vessels, the movement of the device, or an irregular heartbeat.

The surgical closure. In this heart surgery, the surgeon will use stitches to close the PFO . This surgery can be performed through a very small incision. It can be done using robotic techniques.

If you require heart surgery for another reason, your doctor may recommend this surgery is performed at the same time.

Self-care

If you know you have a patent foramen ovale, but does not have symptoms, it is likely that you will not have any restrictions on their activities.

If you are going to travel long distances, it is important to follow the recommendations for the prevention of blood clots. If you're traveling by car, take breaks and go for short walks. In an airplane, make sure to drink plenty of fluids and take a walk whenever it is safe to do so.

Preparing for your appointment

After a patent foramen ovale has been diagnosed, it is likely that you have a lot of questions for their health care providers. Some questions you can ask include:

  • What is this happening?
  • How dangerous is this condition?
  • What treatments are available? Which would I recommend?
  • What are the risks of a procedure for closure of the patent foramen ovale?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage these conditions?
  • Should activity be restricted in any way?
  • He might have passed this disease to my child?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take my house? What sites do you recommend to visit?
Symptoms and treatment of the persistence of the foramen ovale